These days when you enter bookstores, craft stores, or even grocery
stores, you can easily find a section of coloring books for adults. Did you ever think
about creating your own coloring page? I am telling you; it’s really
fun.

We will create a set of houses together, and you’ll learn
some tricks for creating buildings, which you can also use in your
future projects as an illustrator. But remember, your result of this
tutorial can’t be sold on microstock sites.

We will create
buildings with details, and you will find out how helpful the Grid is. You will also see that you can use just a few simple tools like the Rectangle Tool, Line Segment Tool (), Arc Tool or Ellipse Tool to
create a beautiful and an original image.

I adore adult coloring
books. I don’t always finish them, but let me tell you, I’m a
serious collector! If you want to get some ideas, or just need
ready-to-use coloring pages, browse Envato Market—it will
brighten your mind!

Let’s get started!

1. Create the First House

Step 1

Let’s start by creating a new document in Adobe Illustrator
with a size of 850 x 850 px. In this tutorial, we will see how useful
the Grid is while drawing illustrations. Press Control-K to
activate the Preferences dialogue window. Select Guides & Grid in
the pop-up menu and enter the Grid options shown below. Press OK. To see
this grid, you need to right-click your mouse > Show Grid. Another
very, very helpful tool is to enable Snap to Grid (go to View > Snap
to Grid).

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a rectangle with 24 cells in width
and 46 cells in height with no fill and black stroke (2 px Weight on theStroke panel). This will be the facade of the building.

Step 2

For the roof, create another rectangle by using the Rectangle
Tool (M) with a width slightly larger than the facade rectangle. In the
image below you can see exactly how many cells you need to draw. After
that, select the top left anchor point on the roof with the Direct
Selection Tool (A) and move it to the right by pressing the Right Arrow
button on your keyboard twice.

Step 3

Let’s add some tiles on our roof. Here, we will use the Arc
Tool. I checked the Round Cap on the Stroke panel, but it’s optional.
Zoom in your image until the individual cells are visible on your grid. Draw an
arc from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of a single
cell. You will see how easily the arc attaches to the corner of a cell.

Now draw another arc from the top right corner of the next cell to thebottom leftcorner to connect with the first arc. You will get a half
circle. Continue to draw the tiles in this manner until you fill up the
entire roof.

Step 4

Let’s add a window using the Rectangle Tool (M).

Step 5

Using the Line Segment Tool (), draw three lines for the window frame.

Step 6

Add
another rectangle below the window frame (Rectangle Tool (M)) for the
window sill. To modify the window sill, select the bottom left anchor
point on the rectangle with the Direct Selection Tool (A) and move it to
the right, just one grid cell, by pressing the Right Arrow button on
your keyboard. Make the same modification for the bottom right corner of
the window sill but in the opposite direction.

Step 7

Now
let’s add some plants on the window sill. To have more freedom in
creating this element, we have to disable the Snap to Grid: go to View
> and remove the selected Snap to Grid mark. Using the Ellipse Tool
(L), hold down the Shift key and draw a bunch of circles that intersect with each other. You don’t need to change the stroke color to
red; I did this just to highlight this for the tutorial.

Finally,
unite these circles by selecting all of them and hitting the Unitebutton on the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder).

Step 8

Let’s
go ahead and enable the Snap to Grid again: View > Snap to Grid.
Make three more copies of the window that we created. Hold down the Alt
button and move it to the right. You will get a copy. Then make two
more.

Step 9

In this step, we will make the stairs by adding
two rectangles that are one cell in height on the grid, and 12 and 16cells in width. Place them in the middle of the building.

Step 10

For
the door, let’s start with a rectangle. Keep it selected and go toEffect > Warp > Arc Upper. In the new window, adjust the options
to the ones you see in the second image below. While this effect is still
active, let’s draw a long rectangle which is
one cell in height—you will get it warped. After that, you need to
delete this effect from the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) by
dragging it to the trash icon. Add one more rectangle to finish our
door.

Step 11

Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool, add a small rounded
rectangle (1×2). On top of this shape, place a square which overlaps
half of the rounded rectangle. Then cut it: select both shapes and use the Minus Front button in Pathfinder, and you will get the shape shown
below. We will use it as a building decoration.

Place this shape on the left side of the building.

Step 12

Holding
the Alt button, move this shape down one cell. While the newly created
shape is selected, press the Control-D buttons to repeat the previous step
and create the third shape exactly the same distance from the previous
one. Repeat this action by pressing Control-D until the entire left side of
the wall is covered by the decoration shapes.

To repeat the same
operations for the other side of the wall, select all the decorations
from the left side, right-click the mouse > and select Transform >
Reflect. A dialogue window will pop up, where you should enter Axis
Vertical, Angle 90 degrees, and press Copy. Move those copies to the
right.

Step 13

Let’s add a sign on the side of the building.

For
this, we will use the Spiral Tool. If you don’t see it, hold the Line
Segment Tool () for a few seconds—a pop-up menu will appear. Select the Spiral Tool then. Click on your art board and a new dialogue window will
appear, asking you about the Radius of your spiral, Decay and Segments.
I recommend playing with different Decay and Segments to find out what
you like the most.

After creating the spiral, straighten one end by
using the Direct Selection Tool (A). Simply select the last anchor point
and move the handles to straighten the end of the spiral. Finally,
attach this spiral to the building. Add another spiral, two lines (Line
Segment Tool ()), and one ellipse (Ellipse Tool (L)), and place them
together to finish off the signage.

2. Create the Second House

Step 1

Using the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw two rectangles: a large one (54×28) and a small one on top (2×30)

Step 2

Create
the ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (L) and add a rectangle over it.
Select these two shapes and by pressing the Minus Front on thePathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder), you will get a cut of the
ellipse, a semi-ellipse shape.

Step 3

Now create a smaller
semi-ellipse and place it inside the original one. To do this, copy
the original shape in front (Control-C, Control-F) and shrink the newly
created shape while holding down the Alt and Shift keys at the same time
(shrinking symmetrically to the center). Place these two shapes on top
of the thin rectangle. Then by using the Line Segment Tool (), add
three lines in the small semi-ellipse shape.

Step 4

To make
the window and its sill, use the Rectangle Tool (M). To create sections
on the window frames, use the Line Segment Tool ().

Step 5

Make
five more copies of the window shape (move the original shape to the
side while holding the Alt key). Place them symmetrically as presented
below.

Step 6

Draw two lines between the windows (Line
Segment Tool ()) and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig
Zag… to change their shape. Play with the Zig Zag options; you don’t
need to know the precise options.

Step 7

For the fence, make
one circle inside a single cell of the grid. Using the Rectangle Tool
(M), create a rectangle (3×1) and make a sideways diamond with the Line
Segment Tool (). Place these three shapes as shown in the image below and
group them together: select, then right-click > Group.

Create a copy
of this group: holding the Alt button, move the group to the right
until the copy is attached to the original image. This action will
create a copy of the group, horizontally aligned. While the newly created
group is selected, press the Control-D buttons to repeat the previous step
and create another copy the same distance from the previous
one. Repeat pressing Control-D a few more times.

Select the entire fence, group it (right-click > Group) and place it in the front of the building.

3. Create the Third House

Step 1

Draw a rectangle (44×34). Make a section for the roof by drawing a line
with the Line Segment Tool ().

Step 2

To make the windows
on the roof, use the rectangle shape and lines from the Line Segment
Tool (). Add a triangle by pressing the Polygon Tool. After you click
on the art board, a new dialogue window will pop up. Enter 3 Sides and
any Radius. You can adjust the size of the rectangle. When drawing the
triangle, disable the Snap to Grid: go to View > and remove the
selected Snap to Grid mark.

Make another smaller triangle and place it
inside the bigger one. The triangles must have a white fill color because
they will be in front of the roof (otherwise you will see the roof
through the window). Enable the Snap to Grid again: View > Snap to
Grid; and place all parts together as in the image below.

Step 3

Place it on the roof. Make two more copies of the window.

Step 4

By using the Rectangle Tool (M), add two chimneys on the roof.

Step 5

Let’s
add four windows. Use the Rectangle Tool (M) and the Line Segment Tool
() to create a simple window. Make three copies and place them
symmetrically.

Step 6

Now we will add the stairs and a door.
For the small roof over the door, we will create it using the Line Segment
Tool (). In this case, it is better to use the lines instead of the
triangle shape as we don’t need to disable the Snap to Grid.

Step 7

To
add the stair railing, use the Line Segment Tool () for the straight
lines and the Spiral Tool for the decorated top rail. Select the Spiral Tooland choose Radius, Decay and Segments settings that you like. On the created
spiral, move the last anchor point to the door (use the Direct Selection
Tool (A) and play with the handles of the anchor points for a good
result).

Step 8

Now we will create a large window with an
awning. First make the ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (L), add a
rectangle over it and apply Minus Front on the Pathfinder panel
(Window > Pathfinder) while the two shapes are selected. You will get
a cut of the ellipse. Attach a rectangle to this shape and add three
lines along its sides.

To decorate the window, add a cut of the rounded
rectangle (you can take it from the decoration of the first building)
and multiply it along the side of the semi-ellipse. After that, use theArc Tool to make six lines inside this shape. To finalize the window,
add a few lines inside the rectangle, creating an illusion of reflected glass.

Place the window as shown in the image below.

Step 9

To
create a potted plant, we will draw a circle (use the Ellipse Tool (L)) while
holding the Shift key), a line (Line Segment Tool (), you can increase the stroke Weight just for it), and a trapezoid
(Rectangle Tool (M) and shifting the bottom anchor points with the Direct Selection Tool
(A)).

The circle and the trapezoid have to be filled
with a white color, since the plant will be placed in front of the
house.

Step 10

Create a zigzag shape on the bottom
of the roof by using the Line Segment Tool () and making two lines.
Group these two lines and make a copy of this group (hold the Alt andShift buttons and move the group to the right until the copy is attached to the original object).

While the newly created group is selected,
press Control-D to repeat the previous step and create another
copy exactly the same distance from the previous one. Repeat pressing Control-D until the entire line is filled with zigzag shapes.

4. Create the Fourth House

Step 1

Using the Rectangle Tool (M),
draw a rectangle (44×34) and move up the bottom left anchor point. For
this, use the Direct Selection Tool (A). On top of the roof, we will
make a decoration, which consists of three lines. Draw these lines in
the directions presented by the arrows in the image below (first theLine Segment Tool ()—upward direction; second, the Arc Tool—towards
left; third, the Line Segment Tool ()—downward direction). Group these
three lines, make a few copies of this shape, and place them on top of
the roof.

Step 2

Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool, create
the decoration in the bottom of the building by filling a part of the
wall using different sized rounded rectangles.

Step 3

Make a
circular window by using the Ellipse Tool (L) while holding the Shiftkey. Add two perpendicular lines created by the Line Segment Tool ().

Step 4

To make another window, use the Rectangle Tool (M) and the Line Segment Tool ().

Step 5

Copy the created window and move it up. Using the Rectangle Tool (M) and the Line Segment Tool (), make another window.

5. Create the Fifth House

Step 1

One big rectangle and a few
long and narrow rectangles over it will start our fifth house. Then
press Unite in the Pathfinder panel.

Step 2

Use the Rectangle
Tool (M) and the Line Segment Tool () to draw the window. After that, create two more.

Step 3

Draw rectangles and lines to create the upper window.

Step 4

Now we want to create a street light hanging on the side of the wall.

First, use the Spiral Tool to draw the curly line, and then move the last anchor point to connect to the wall of the house. Add
another curl on the top. Add two rectangles and two lines. Move the
anchor points inside. Add two more lines to make it look more like a
street lamp. Our fifth house is done!

6. Place Them All Together

And now, the most exciting part: putting all our houses together (of course, if you didn’t do it before!).

Conclusion

This
tutorial was longer than usual, but I am sure that by now you are an
expert in using the Rectangle Tool, Line Segment Tool (), Arc Tool,
Ellipse Tool, in adjusting the anchor points with using the Direct
Selection Tool (A), and more.

You figured out how the process can
be sped up and simplified by using the Grid. You don’t have to
focus on the boring process of attaching the lines or shapes to certain
points and can save your time for the creative processes.

I hope the
techniques you learned today will be helpful for your future projects, and one day you and I will get to see your own coloring book for adults
and kids in the store. Good luck!